The Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, has asserted that an opposition coalition attempting to seize control of the party’s structure is behind the current internal turmoil.
In reaction to his purported suspension by a group of the party on Tuesday, Gabam made the statement.
Rufus Ayegbeni, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said in a statement that Gabam and two other NEC members had been suspended due to allegations of financial impropriety.
But when Gabam spoke to reporters at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, he dismissed the suspension as “fake news” and the product of political mischief.
He insisted that he remains the party’s legitimate chairman.
Gabam urged the public to disregard the purported suspension while speaking alongside a number of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members.
As you can see, I continue to serve as the SDP’s national chairman.
Because of this alliance and some of its members who think that they must obtain SDP at any costs or sow uncertainty about SDP, some of us can understand where it is coming from.
“So many forces from so many fronts see SDP as very deadly or very strong that they cannot maneuver over.
“We have been waiting for them to expose all their game plan, before we respond to it. Happily enough, they have officially exposed themselves today.
“I am sure Nigerians will get to know them, who are anti-democratic forces, who are conniving to disrupt political institutions, for whatever motivation. But I want to assure you that we are on,” he said.
He stated that no official meeting of the NWC was held to decide on his suspension and questioned the origin of the statement announcing the alleged suspension.
He remembered that a private legal firm had previously sent a notice signed by National Secretary Dr. Olu Agunloye to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alerting it about a NWC meeting.
He said that because he did not co-sign the letter as the national head of the party, the commission rejected it.
“They completely violated the political party’s communication process with INEC by using a law firm to communicate with the agency.”
“Any decision must be jointly signed by the national chairman and national secretary, according to the INEC documents.
“My signature is an authority signature. By our constitution, the national chairman is the national leader of the party and Chief executive of the party.
“INEC tagged the request by the party’s national secretary to hold the NWC meeting as illegal, since the letter was not signed by me,” he said.
On the alleged financial misappropriation against him, Gabam described it as false, saying he has nothing to hide.
He pointed out that his accusers were the ones issuing memos and emphasized that their names appear in the party’s account statements.
“I’m sure by the time we submit the complete printout of our account from the banks to the security agencies, they will see everything.
“Everyone will see that funds have been deposited into his account. Everyone. Every member of the NWC. No one has been left out.
He had previously served as the party’s chairman. He ought to have taken responsibility for his own term as the party’s chairman. “I’m prepared to explain my tenure at any moment,” he continued.
Because of their unsuccessful attempt to take control of the party’s structure, he blamed the recently established coalition—which included certain national party officials and other individuals—of being responsible for the recent crisis within the party.
“I believe this situation has happened before. Now it’s bringing its head up.
However, Gabam cautioned against politicians using the nation’s security agencies to subvert democracy and urged President Bola Tinubu to summon them.
“They’re not harming me in any way. This party is not being harmed by them. “It is detrimental to the nation,” he stated.
In his statement, Aiyenigba stated that the suspension of Gabam and other suspected NWC members was necessary to enable a comprehensive inquiry.
He went on to say that Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar, the Deputy National Chairman, has been directed to assume party leadership till the investigations are finished.
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